Convertible rocker-wheeler toy



Aug. 30, 1955 H. c. FElsT CONVERTIBLE ROCKER- WHEELER TOY Filed Sept. 6, 1952 the present ilnvsntiali'..4 f. A

' Fig. 2 is `afront, View of the toy asfseen in the direcrtlonw United States Patent-O 2,116,439 CoNvERTpIBLE RocKER-WHEELER ToY Henry Carl Feist, East Hampton, Conn., assignor to The l N. N. Hill Brass Company, East Hampton, Conn., a corporation of Connecticut This invention relates to toys in general, and to childrens riding toys in particular.

The toy to which the present invention relates may be converted 'from a rocker 'into a wheeler, and vice versa. Riding toys of this type have been known heretofore, they being characterized byV opposite rockers, and front and rear-wheel assemblies that are shiftable into elevated and lowered positions in which their wheels are within and without the confines,` respectively, ofthe rockers, to enable a child `sitting on the toy to ride the sameklike a wagon or to rock the same like a hobby horse.l However, the wheels on vthese previous toys are not fully exposed to view even `when they are in their elevated positions, but they are mounted on these toys more or less permanently so that their-removal therefrom would entail considerable skill and labor, vif not destruction of parts of the wheel assemblies. y 4

It is an object of the present invention to provide aV convertible rocker-wheeler toy of the aforementioned type which in either of its forms as a rocker or wheeler fails to give any ready visual indication of its convertibility into the other form, thereby to detract a childs attention from the convertible aspect of the toy and prevent possi` 'ble injury to the child in consequenceV of its undertaking,

or endeavoring to undertake, unauthorized conversion of the toy.

It is another object ofthe present invention to provide`r` for a toy of this ,type front and rear-wheel assemblies inc" the form of separatev units which-may be mounted in the toy or completely removed therefrom as quickly and easily as they may be shifted in the toy into their aforementioned velevated or lowered positions, therebypnot' only greatly,1

facilitating the initial assembly of thetoy in the factory but also affording a parent the opportunity to remove the wheels from the toy for the safe use of 4the latteras a rocker by a child of very tenderage, and to `replace 'the Wheels in the toy'when the child is older and may safely,w iik wheel the toy around. 4 A 4 It is a further object of the present invention to provide a toy of this` type with ahid'den bell or bells which, much to the added amusement of a child, will jingle equallyA distinct regardless of whether the'toy is used as `a rockern or asa wheeler. V n

Further objects Hand advantages will appear to those skilled in the art from the following, considered `in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

In the accompanying drawings, in which certain modes6 of carrying out the present invention are shown for illus^ trativc purposes;

Fia .1 is, and@ xitlaf.''bversin'toy ,embodying of thearrow 2 in Figui;V N Y o y Fig. S-is a top view vf theify; t Fig. 4 is a fragmentary side, viewyof the toy, similar to Fig.- l, but in its -converted form;-

Fig. 5 is a section taken onthenline 5 5 of Fig.`3; and Fig. 6 is a section through a wheel-assembly of the toy.

Aintermediation of washer 5 0. Carried by the Vaxle y32 2,716,439 BatenterdAug. 30, 1955 Referring to the drawings, and more particularly to Figs.l 1 to 3 thereof, the reference numeral 10 designates a toybwhich, in this instance, has the general appearance of a hobby horse.` The toy comprises a back 12, a head 14, a'tail 16, opposite rockers 18, and frontand rearwheel assemblies 20 and 22. The back 12"is, in` this instance, a wooden board apartof which serves as a seat or saddle for a child. The head 14, which ymay conveniently be made of a wooden board also, has a profile which somewhat resembles a horses head (Fig. 1). If desired, the opposite sides ofthe head14 may carry humoristic designs 26 of a'horses head to lendadditional animation to the toy much to the amusement and pleasure of a child playing with the toy. The head 14 may be permanently attached to the front part of the back 12 in any suitable manner, as by gluing and/or nailing, for instance. The tail 16 may also be in the formpof a Wooden board, profiled as -shown in Fig. 1, and .suitably mounted on the back 12 in the rear thereof. For further animation of the toy, the tail piece 16 thereof may carry on its opposite sides appropriate designs 28 of a horses wagging tail. The oppositeA rockers 1,8'are identical, they being in this instance 'made of wooden boards suitably secured, by gluing and/or nailing, for instance, to the bottom surface' of the back 1,2`along the opposite Sides thereof (Figs. l and 2). Each ofthe rockers 18 has the customary curved rocker surface 30. The back 12 of the toy may alsobe provided with a backrest 29 as a safety feature for smaller children. Preferably also, a transverse reenforcement 31 in the form of a wooden plank may be providedbetween the rockers 18 (Figs. 2 and 5). l y l g The wheel assemblies 20 and 22 are, in this instance, identical, wherefore onlyone of theseassemblies, namely the front-wheel assembly 20, will bev described in detail.

This front-wheel assembly `comprises an axle 32 (Fig. 6),

carrying oppositefro'nt wheelsv 34, bells 36 and spacers 38 and '40A which are conveniently made of wood, and interposed between the bells 36p-and between the latter and the adjacent front wheels, respectively.V The` axle 32 has near one end thereof an integral collar 42 against which bearsone ofthe front wheels 34, preferably through intermediation of 4a Washer 44.` The other end of the axle 32 is threaded as at 46 to receive a nut 48 against which bears the 'other front wheel ,34,V preferably through between'the wooden spacers 38 thereon arey two Vmetal wvashers 58 and 60. Further carried by the axle y32 between the Washers 58 and60 is a metallic spacer sleeve 52 on which is loosely mounted a metallic anchor plate l 54 for a mounting spring 56 (Figs. 2 and 5). The various parts kof the wheelapssembly 20 between the collar 42 and the nut 48 on the axle 32 jarefdrawn into firm engagement with each other bythenut 48, so that the entire wheelassembly, except the anchor plate 54, will turnpas a unit when mounted in the toy. The anchor plate 54, having a thickness slightlyl smaller than the length ofthe spacer sleeve`52, has slight clearance from -theadjacent washers 58 `and 60 and is, therefore, freely rotatable relative 'tothe rest of the wheel-assembly.

Thebells 36ar`e identical, each comprising a dished metallic, soundingnshell orfdisc 62, the peripheral rim 64; of which extends sufficiently yclose to the adjacent front wheel 34,to prevent the escape through the gap 66 of a striking hammer 68. ,"The hammer Y68 may conveniently be in the"` for'rnofV a slug or chunk' of metal entrapped inthe1 shell 62 andfreely movable therein to emit jingling sounds from the shell. j

For the removable mountingV ofthefront and rearwheel assemblies 20 and`22 in the toy', there are provided pairs of front and rear brackets 70 and 72 (Figs. 2 and 5). Thus, the front brackets 70 are conveniently screwed screwed at 76 to the same faces of the rockers 18 near the rear thereof. The brackets 70 are left and right hand brackets and are otherwise identical, and the brackets 72 are identical with the brackets 70. Each of these brackets has a short slot 78 and a longer slot 80 which are open at the bottom. The short slots 7S of the front and rear brackets 70 and 72 serve to receive the opposite ends of the axles of the front and rear-wheel assemblies 20 and 22, respectively, in their lowered or projected positions (Figs. l, 2 and 5) in which their respective wheels 34 and 34 are lower than the rockers 18 for the use of the toy as a wheeler. On the other hand, the longer slots 80 of the front and rear brackets 70 and 72 serve to receive the opposite ends of the axles of the front and rear-wheel assemblies 20 and 22, respectively, in their elevated or retracted positions in which their respective wheels 34 and 34 are within the confines of the rockers 18 and are fully hidden thereby for the use of the toy as a rocker (Fig. 4). The aforementioned mounting spring 56 and a similar spring 56' (Fig. 5) will removably hold the front and rear-wheel assemblies 20 and 22 either in the shorter slots 78 or in the longer slots 80 of their respective mounting brackets 70 and 72. The springs 56 and 56', which are tension springs, may releasably be anchored with one end to eyes 84 and 86, respectively, underneath the back 12, and are secured with their other ends to the anchor plates 54 and 54' of the front and rear-wheel assemblies 20 and 22, respectively (Fig. so that mere release of these springs from the eyes 84 and 86 will permit ready and instantaneous removal of the Wheel assemblies from the toy. It is by virtue of the tension of the anchored springs 56 and 56 that the anchor plates 54 and 54 of the respective wheel assemblies will not turn with the latter when the toy is used as a wheeler. The longer slots 80 in the mounting brackets 70 and 72 may be of the bayonet type shown in Fig. 5, so that the shorter branches S8 of these slots will receive the opposite ends of the axles of the respective Wheel assemblies and securely hold the latter in their retracted positions with the aid of the springs 56 and 56', even when the toy is forcefully rocked by a youngster. The mounting brackets 7) and 72 are, at least throughout the extent of their shorter slots 78, preferably inwardly offset as at 90 (Fig. 2) to afford more secure bearings for the wheel assemblies and 22 in their projected positions in which the toy is used as a wheeler.

The instant toy is noteworthy in several respects. Thus, in its form as a rocker, the instant toy goes far in hiding its identity as a toy which is convertible into a wheeler, thereby detracting a childs attention from the convertible aspect of the toy and safeguarding it from all possible harm in consequence of its undertaking, or endeavoring to undertake, unauthorized conversion of the rocker into a wheeler, and instead attracting the childs attention solely to the use of the toy as a rocker as intended by the childs parent. The instant toy, when converted into its form as a wheeler, similarly hides its identity as a combination rocker and wheeler and does not suggest to a child its convertibility from the one to the other, primarily because only small portions of the wheels are then visible and the conversion mechanism is Well hidden from view, unless the toy is turned around. ln any event, the instant toy goes far in diverting childrens attention from the convertible aspect of the toy, and is therefore generally safer for children than previous toys of this type. The ready installation of the wheel assemblies in the toy and their equally ready removal therefrom not only greatly facilitate the assembly of the toy in the factory or subsequent repair thereof, but also afford a parent the opportunity toremove the Wheels from the toy for even safer enjoyment as a rocker by a child of very tender age, and to replace the wheels inthe toy when the child is older and may safely wheel the toy around. Also, the instant installation in the Wheel assemblies of the specic bells shown and described will assure equally distinct jingling sounds regardless of whether the toy is rocked or Wheeled, and thus adds to the overall attraction of the toy to a child.

The invention may be carried out in other specific ways than those herein set forth Without departing from the spirit and essential characteristics of the invention, and the present embodiments are, therefore,v to be considered in ail respects as illustrative and not restrictive, and all changes coming Within the meaning and equivalency range of the appended claims are intended to be embraced therein.

What is claimed is:

1. A convertible rocker-Wheeler toy, including in combination a pair of spaced rockers having curved rocking surfaces at their bottoms, a back member joining the rockers adjacent their tops; front and rear wheel-assemblies, each including an axle having Wheels thereon, the n axle being shorter than the width between said rockers; front and rear pairs of opposite brackets mounted thereon between the rockers, a plurality of paired slots in the brackets adapted to receive the ends of the axles of the wheel assemblies and having open ends and closed ends at different heights, one pair of slots being adapted to hold the axle in a position adjacent their closed ends such that the wheels protrude beneath the rockers, and another pair of slots being adapted to hold the axle in a position adjacent their closed ends such that the wheels are completely within the contines of the rockers, said axles with their assemblies being removable from the toy through the open ends of the slots; and means for releasably holding the axles of the wheel-assemblies adjacent the closed endsof a selected pair of slots.

2. A convertible rocker-wheeler toy according to claim l, in which said releasable holding means comprises a tension spring for each wheel-assembly anchored with one end to the axle of the latter, and removablyl anchored with 'its other end to said back member.

3. A convertible rocker-Wheeler toy, including in combination a pair of spaced rockers having curved rocking surfaces at their bottoms, said rockers being solid throughout, a back member joining the rockers adjacent their tops, front and rear wheel-assemblies, each including an axle' having Wheels thereon, the axle being shorter than the width between said rockers, front and rear pairs of opposite brackets mounted on the opposing inner faces of said rockers, a plurality of paired slots in the brackets adapted to receive the ends of the axles of the wheelassemblies and having open ends and closed ends at different heights, one pair of said slots being adapted to hold an axle in a position, adjacent their closed ends, such that the Wheels protrude beneath the rockers, and another pair of slots being adapted to hold an axle in a position, adjacent their closed ends, such that the wheels are completely within the contines of said rockers and are cornpletely hidden from View therebehind, said axles with their wheel assemblies being removable from the toy through the open ends of the slots, and means for releasably holding the axles of said Wheel-assemblies adjacent the closed ends of a selected pair of slots.

References Cited iu the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 352,450 Crane Nov. 9, 1886 466,573 Platto Jan. 5, 1892 1,232,434 Runne .Tuly 3, 1917 1,364,684 Beck Ian. 4, 1921 1,526,270 Egan Feb. l0, 1925 2,509,736 Jaffa e May 30, 1950 2,541,327 Billnghurst Feb. 13, 1951 2,553,670 Notto May 22,V 1951 

